


under moon shadow

by thisissirius



Series: Battle Couple [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Battle Couple, Kidnapping, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-07 15:54:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6812155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisissirius/pseuds/thisissirius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Alec looks irritated and opens his mouth to say something when Clary blurts out, “Someone’s taken Max and Raphael.”</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	under moon shadow

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Owlwithafringe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Owlwithafringe/gifts).



> this was written for owlwithafringe over [on tumblr here](http://thisissirius.tumblr.com/post/144013366668/so-this-was-written-for-owlwithafringe-who-wanted).
> 
> she wanted battle couple fic with alec and magnus willing to do whatever it takes to find their sons. i think this is…. not that fic, and i don’t know how i feel about it, but whatever. i wrote it in an hour and i’m proud of THAT at least, so. enjoy? :D 
> 
> while i hope that max and raphael don't show up for a LONG time yet, i couldn't resist; this fic is set in the undetermined future.

 

“Alec,” Clary says, pushing open the door to the meeting room.

Alec raises his eyebrows, eyes flickering pointedly to the Clave representatives currently seated around the table, most of whom look uncomfortable. “Is this important?”

“I need to talk to you,” Clary says, ignoring the question. She feels sick, panic spilling into her voice. An almost imperceptible frown shifts Alec’s face for a beat before it’s gone again. “Alone.”

“Can’t it wait?” Alec says, and Clary knows it’s only because he hates dealing with the Clave on short notice, especially when they’re just trying to intercede in things they don’t like.

Clary shakes her head. “No, Alec, you have-”

“If you need to take a break,” one of the older shadowhunters says, looking unsurprised by the breach of protocol. “I’m sure we’d be more than happy to wait for you to conclude whatever business this is.”

Alec looks irritated and opens his mouth to say something when Clary blurts out, “Someone’s taken Max and Raphael.”

It takes a moment to register and Clary regrets saying it almost immediately; she’s only here because it was clear Jace couldn’t do it, and now she’s ruined everything. Alec’s staring at her, face shifting through a myriad of emotions before settling on a cold, disturbing fury.

Overhead, the lights blow out.

Clary jumps, letting out a cry as she jumps back, away from the rain of glass. “Alec!”

The shadowhunters in the room are all on their feet in seconds, something they’re all grateful for a second later when every piece of furniture in the room slams into the nearest wall. Clary feels sick at the look in Alec’s eyes, the naked pain and anger. “Who?”

“I don’t know,” Clary says. Alec stalks towards her, eyes flashing angrily. The panes of glass that seperate the meeting room from the main hub of the Institute rattle in their frames. Clary wants to back up away from the anger radiating off of Alec, the crackle of magic that licks the air around him, but she holds her ground. “Alec, _I don’t know_.”

“What is going on here?!” The same shadowhunter who spoke before is looking torn between confusion and anger. “Where’s this magic coming from?”

Clary ignores him, lifting a hand to rest it on his arm, but she’s wary of the magic still dancing around Alec. “We’ll find them, Alec.”

Alec snarls something she can’t make out because more lights shatter, and Clary can see the same blue magic curling around the ends of Alec’s fingers.

“You have to control it, Alec!”

Someone’s banging on the glass outside and Clary doesn’t have to look to know it’s Jace, more shadowhunters spilling into the area behind him. The magic is pressing around them, stifling the air in the room and Clary has no doubt that nobody’s getting in if Alec doesn’t want them to.

The envoys from the Clave are gathering themselves, some of them confused, others concerned.

“This is unacceptable,” one of them says, the one who can’t seem to keep his mouth shut. “This is no way to run an institute! We can’t have a Shadowhunter using _magic_! It’s unnatural and it-”

Alec slams his entire weight into the elderly man, the glass behind him cracking a little under the force of it.

“Get Magnus!” Clary screams through the glass, watching realisation dawn on Jace’s face, and he’s already pushing away from the glass and down the steps.

When Clary turns back to Alec, he’s got one hand fisted in the shadowhunter’s jacket, the other pressed to the glass next to the guy’s head. There’s something inhuman about Alec’s eyes - _demonic_. The shadowhunter, to his credit, looks anything but terrified, but Clary can see his hands shaking where they’re pressed against his sides. The rest of the envoys are helplessly staring at Alec, most of them with _steles_ in hand, and Clary wants to stop this before it gets any worse.

“Put them away,” she snaps, though most ignore her. She takes two steps across the room, closer to Alec until she can look him in the eye. “Alec, please, this isn’t helping.”

Alec doesn’t say anything; the rage and fury isn’t unexpected, but it’s almost as though Alec isn’t there, that the anger has taken over. Thankfully, the shadowhunter currently experiencing the full spectrum of Alec’s wrath is keeping his mouth shut, which gives Clary some leverage.

“Let him go, Alec, and we can find the boys.” Clary hesitates before resting a hand on his arm. He stares at it for a second before something flares in his eyes and Clary’s palm feels hot. She pulls it back, stunned, but there’s no remorse from Alec. Just cold, dead fury.

There’s the familiar pop of air and a portal shimmers into existence not feet from where they’re standing. Some of the shadowhunters let out exclamations of surprise, but Alec doesn’t flinch, doesn’t even blink. Clary lets out a rush of breath as Magnus steps out of the portal, taking in the scene with surprising speed and almost immediately waves a hand. The door clicks open and the rest of the envoys pile out. Jace and Izzy are there, stopping anyone else from coming in.

“Alec,” Magnus says, and finally there’s something familiar about Alec’s eyes. “Let him go.”

Alec shakes his head. “No. He said magic was unnatural, that I don’t -”

“You’re not angry at him.” Magnus rests a hand on the back of Alec’s neck, fingers threading through the short soft hairs at the nape. “Let him go and we can find the boys.”

At the mention of Max and Raphael, something in Alec snaps and he releases his hold on the shadowhunter. He takes a hurried step back, away from Magnus. Clary ushers the shadowhunter, who looks ready to say something else, to his feet. “Get out of here.”

Clary pushes him forward, and before he can reply, Jace and Izzy are pulling him from the room. Not knowing what to do, Clary hovers near the doorway, concerned about Alec. He’s got his fists clenched, and the vacant expression is still there, something dangerous hovering on his face. Magic is still crackling around them and Magnus looks apprehensive.

“Alexander.” The way he says Alec’s name, loving and soft, makes Clary’s heart ache. “You need to turn it off.”

Alec blinks, then looks down at his hands. “Why? I’m going to kill them, Magnus.”

Magnus looks sad for a moment before stepping into Alec’s space, one hand on his face. “Look at me.”

Slowly, Alec meets Magnus’ eyes and swallows.

“When we find them, we’ll make them pay.” Magnus sounds dangerous, and Clary shivers, reminded why he’s the High Warlock of Brooklyn. “We’ll find our sons and bring them home, but first you need to turn the magic off. You’re upsetting Clary.”

Alec’s eyes dart to her, and his expression clears, something like panic on his face. “I didn’t mean-”

“I know,” Magnus cuts across him, squeezing his hand. “You just have to think about calming it down, pushing it right here.”

Magnus touches a hand to Alec’s sternum, keeps his face trained on Alec’s. Alec takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. Clary watches, fascinated, as the magic seems to curl itself back into Alec, the blue edge that’s been clinging to his outline disappearing almost as soon as it had come. The Alliance rune is still such a mystery, and Clary thinks, looking at Alec, dangerous in ways she hadn’t imagined.

“Clary,” Alec says, sounding wretched. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Her voice sounds watery to her own ears, but she manages a weak smile. “We’ll find them, Alec.”

 

 

 

 

 

Clary’s with them when they do;

They’ve gone from club, to downworlder, to mundane and now they’re standing in an abandoned warehouse close enough to the Institute that Clary knows Alec and Magnus are both angry at how close their boys have been the entire time. They’re geared up, the three of them, Jace and Izzy, and though they’re all formidable in their own right, Clary doesn’t think that can compare to the sheer effortlessness of Alec and Magnus when they fight.

They take out demons with ease, the tight control Alec’s been maintaining on the magic he shares with Magnus snaps when he lays eyes on the first demon. He doesn’t hesitate, just hurls a ball of blue magic out of his palm. Magnus flicks his wrist, the ball veering sharply before slamming bodily into the demon. Magnus grins, wolfish, and though Clary thinks his movements with magic are beautiful, there’s a deadly quality to them, especially when the blue spiral coalesces as he brings his hands together, and then as he thrusts out, the magic bursts around them in hues of purple and violet.

Demons fall beneath blade, magic and arrow, though none of them seem to have the brains needed to pull off something like this.

“Enough!”

The voice cracks whip-like through the room and Clary whirls, blade raised as she takes in the scene before her. A man, eyes as dark and forbidding as the night looks upon them in distaste. He’s flanked by two others, a woman who has a hand curled around the back of Raphael’s neck. Looking terrified, Raphael’s eyes seek out his parents’. Another man, smaller and with a scar across one cheek, has Max’s arm in a painful grip. Clary can see tear tracks on his face.

“Daddy!” Max says, and Clary sees Alec’s back stiffen.

Alec takes a step forward, but Magnus grips his arm at the same time the taller man barks out a laugh.

“Take me out, boy, and your sons will die.”

“I’m not a boy,” Alec snaps, and the crackle of magic is back. “What makes you think we couldn’t take you all out?”

The man has a gleam in his eye that Clary doesn’t like. “Why don’t you tell them, Magnus?”

A horrible silence falls over them, punctuated only by Max’s sobs, and Raphael’s whimpers.

Clary sees Magnus freeze, his eyes dark. “What’s he talking about?”

“He’s a warlock. A very powerful one. He’ll have protected himself.” Magnus sounds angry, and for the first time, Clary can see the sparks of magic on his fingers, just like Alec. He’s not as in control as he makes out, and Clary doesn’t blame him. She’s angry, feels the fury burn in her veins that someone could be so cruel as to take children. If they weren’t her nephews in everything but blood, she’d be just as angry.

The fact that he’s a Warlock doesn’t seem to matter to Alec, who’s starting to look like he did back in the meeting room, vacant and furious.

“Alec,” Clary says, worried. “We’ll save them.”

“Clary’s right,” Izzy says, looking as concerned as Clary feels. “Whatever happens, we’re not leaving here without them.”

“Then none of us will be leaving,” the man says, his eyes a coal black and so bottomless Clary feels sick with it.

“Fine by me,” Alec snaps, and magic curls out from his fingers, unbidden, unbent and destructive in its intensity.

 

 

 

 

 

“Papa?”

Clary coughs, dust billowing out in front of her, and she pushes herself onto her elbows.

The warehouse is a mess, debris scattered across the floor, blood and dirt smudged into the ground. Clary can see Izzy, one knee on the woman who’d been holding onto Rafe, pressing the woman into the ground. Jace has the smaller man in an arm lock, and Clary can well imagine that the man’s arm is twisted at a harsher angle than Max’s had been. Neither of them are looking at their charges, attention on Alec and Magnus.

When she rocks back on her heels, Clary’s eyes find them too, heart seizing when she sees them.

The warlock responsible for the kidnapping is kneeling on the floor, Alec’s hand twisted in his hair. Wrenching his head back, Alec exposes his neck to Magnus, who looks entirely too willing to take the man out with a twitch of his fingers.

“The boys,” Clary says, her voice ringing loud in the eerie quiet of the warehouse.

Something seems to shatter in Magnus’s face as he looks at Raphael and Max, both of whom are holding hands and looking terrified. They’re huddled together, not far from the carnage, and Clary’s heart goes out to them and their parents. The need to protect their sons warring with the want to destroy whoever hurt them.

“Leave him to us,” Clary says again, injecting enough fury into her voice that the warlock’s eyes flick to hers. “Take the boys home.”

“If you think I’m leaving,” Magnus says, the threat hanging.

Alec nods. “He deserves to pay.”

“And he will,” Jace adds. “If you kill him now, Raphael and Max will see it!“

That seems to snap them out of it. Alec jerks his head around, expression horrified as he sees the two boys. He releases his grip on the warlock’s hair, but not before Magnus makes a complicated gesture, sparks of blue wrapping themselves around the man’s wrists.

“Just in case you think of magicking your way out of their grip.”

As if Clary would let them.

She watches, satisfied, as Magnus sweeps Max into his arms, letting out a soft sound as Max buries his face in Magnus’s neck. Raphael almost immediately stumbles towards Alec, throwing a wary glance at the warlock. Alec drops to his knees, pulling Raphael close, hand cupping the back of his son’s small head. He says something, low, that makes Raphael sob and tighten his hold on Alec.

Clary swallows thickly, happiness warring with the residual panic and adrenaline coursing through her system. She picks her way across the rubble, grabbing the warlock rougher than she intends, but no less satisfied for it. “Time to go.”

She drags him away, back towards Jace and Izzy and their other two captives, but not before Alec looks up from Raphael and gives her a quick, relieved smile.

She looks back once, when they’re wrestling the three captives back towards the door. Magnus and Alec are touching foreheads, their boys sandwiched between them. It seems oddly fitting, she thinks hysterically, that they should be standing amidst rubble, blood and dirt; the epitome of two people that would destroy the world to save their sons.

**Author's Note:**

> come scream with me on [tumblr](http://thisissirius.tumblr.com)!


End file.
